“Romney could be a savior for Republicans exhausted by President Trump”

Former Massachusetts governor and twice failed GOP candidate for president Mitt Romney is reportedly quite seriously contemplating a Senate run in Utah. While the senior senator from Utah Orrin Hatch (R) has not announced any plans to retire, it appears that the Utah GOP is ready for Romney.

Romney is no stranger to Senate campaigns; he ran against Ted Kennedy (D-MA) in 1994 and lost. Utah, however, may be just the ticket for Romney who has high approval numbers there and is a favorite among the Utah GOP.

The Salt Lake Tribune’s editorial board penned a plea to Romney last weekend in which they noted that Romney “could be a savior for Republicans exhausted by President Trump.” Among the traits they laud is Romney’s consistent anti-Trumpism, Romneycare, and his mild temperament and statesmanship.

The Tribune also contends, somewhat bafflingly, that winning this Senate seat would make him “the leading voice of the Republican Party.”

Mitt Romney should run for Senate.

At least that is what many Utahns are hoping for. A recent poll shows that 75 percent of Utah voters do not want to see Sen. Orrin Hatch run for Senate again. Hatch was elected 41 years ago, is 83 and would be 90 at the end of another term. He assured voters during his last campaign that this would be his last term.

It should be.

. . . . Romney could be a savior for Republicans exhausted by President Trump. He has been a consistent voice against much of Trump’s divisiveness. In August Romney called on Trump to apologize for his comments equating white supremacists in Charlottesville, North Carolina, with counter-protesters rallying against racism. (He didn’t.)

And then of course there was Romney’s better-late-than-never March 2016 speech that eviscerated Trump as a phony and fraud.

There’s no question Romney is a seasoned and generous politician. He accomplished health care reform as governor of Massachusetts before such reform was popular. He led Utah out of scandal and onto the world stage with a successful 2002 Winter Olympics.

. . . . His notoriety as a well-mannered foe would help him work across the aisle in the contentious Senate. And his reputation for statesmanship would launch him into leadership roles most freshmen congressmen only dream of.

In fact, if he decides to run, he would be the leading voice of the Republican Party, and Utah would be his home.

The reports of Romney giving serious contemplation to a Senate run in Utah is not limited to gushing editorials by a board who appears to be stuck in a 2008 time warp. Beyond House minority leader Nancy Pelosi’s (D-CA) longing for a Romney presidency, both former vice president Joe Biden (D) and Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) have urged Romney to run if Hatch chooses not to do so.

Both Romney and Hatch have stated that they will not run against one another, and Hatch indicated that he’d be comfortable stepping down if Romney is his successor.

Romney reportedly explored his options to run for Senate in 2018, according to the Atlantic back in April, but he insisted that he will run only if the current senator retires as promised. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell reportedly urged Romney to run if Hatch steps down.

Hatch told the National Journal in March that although he has not “made that final determination” whether he will run again, he said he would consider retiring from politics if Romney be his replacement.

Republicans in Utah have been quietly working behind the scenes all year to convince Hatch—who, at 83 years old, is the longest-serving Republican Senator in Washington—that it’s time to bring his career to an end. Polls show a large majority of Utahns want him to retire, and he appears extraordinarily vulnerable to a primary challenge. Some GOP leaders in Utah worry that he will lose to an unpredictable insurgent candidate with few ties to the party establishment.

. . . . In an effort to incentivize Hatch to retire, several influential Republican donors—including Spencer Zwick, the former finance chairman for Romney’s presidential campaign—have been working to raise money for a library or institute in Hatch’s name, and sources say the project is on track to receive the necessary funding.

. . . . Even as Romney has remained coy about the prospect of a Senate bid in public, the growing likelihood that he will run has become an open secret in Utah political circles. At a recent gathering of state dignitaries, a prominent GOP donor was heard referring to Romney—in his presence—as “the senator.”

And then, of course, there is the Trump factor. Romney, according to unnamed sources (so take it for what’s worth), has an inchoate plan to “mute” his criticism of Trump, at least at first.

The Atlantic continues:

People close to Romney say his desire to serve in the Senate now—at a time of tremendous political upheaval and widespread GOP infighting—is multi-faceted. He has told friends that he is alarmed at what he regards as the recklessness and incompetence of the Trump presidency so far, and that he’s worried about what long-term effects Trumpism could have on the Republican Party. Friends also say he is restless and eager to get off the sidelines, and that after years of losing campaigns, the prospect of an all-but-guaranteed electoral victory is extremely tempting.

It’s unclear what a Senator Romney would look like once in Washington. Some people who know him say he might consider muting his criticism of Trump—at least at first—and use his status as an elder statesman in the GOP to rally congressional Republicans around conservative legislative initiatives. Others, meanwhile, believe he would help fill the role being vacated by Jeff Flake and Bob Corker—two outgoing Republican senators who have been outspoken in their criticism of Trump.

Will the state that gave us Senator Mike Lee (R) also elect Mitt Romney to serve as Utah’s junior Senator?

Comments

I think this would be a great idea – I don’t believe anyone should serve in office past the age of 80 (okay, I would make it 75, but I’ll settle for 80) and Romney would be a particularly good fit for Utah.

The GOPe needs to find suitable replacements for Never Trump senators Flake (announced he’s not running again) and McCain (dying of brain cancer). Mittens certainly fills the bill. They just need to make sure that he doesn’t choke in the stretch as he did in 2008.

As a Utahn, and as a Mormon, I hate Hatch. With a vengeance. A big part of my distaste for the man stems from the way he treats his job, his constituents, and the State of Utah. He thinks he runs the Utah GOP. I have seen the way his surrogates treat caucus meetings and county executive meetings. If Hatch likes an idea, you had better vote for it. And if Hatch dislikes an idea, do not even think about it. The surrogates (because Hatch himself cannot be seen with, nor does he have the time to consort with peasants) will shout it down. The arrogance is astounding.

The idea that Hatch will only retire if we agree to his chosen successor is abhorrent. Hatch is not King. He does not get to name the successor to his senate seat. I feel the need to channel Scott Brown “With all due respect, this is not Hatch’s seat, nor is it the GOPe’s seat. It is the seat of the People of Utah.” I will do my best, as I have done for the last 2 cycles, to get this RINO kicked out of the Senate. And I am planning to up my game, if I can find someone who can help me campaign against Hatch. Honestly, I am almost willing to accept a Utah D for a term if we could oust the spineless, treasonous coward.

“The idea that Hatch will only retire if we agree to his chosen successor is abhorrent.”

Well, yeah. It’s also silly, because it’s impossible. Either Hatch retires or he doesn’t. IF he doesn’t, he’ll stand for re-election in an open primary. If he does retire, he can endorse anyone he might like to. You have a choice, in any event.

1.) Why does a glass brittle ego discuss one of the most important jobs in America with someone who called him a “con man” and a “fraud” who was “playing the American public for suckers”? Romney was at the front of the Never Trump movement. A glass brittle ego would not bother with one meeting with that kind of person, let alone multiple times. No one on Romney’s side that I know of said those meetings with Trump were just for show. Romney even asked Hillary about taking the job, which should tell you that the talks were serious.

2.) Even if Romney had married into Putin’s family and understood Russia more than any other American citizen, the Sec. of State carries out the president’s foreign policy goals – not the other way around.

Funny. So you’ve dropped the glass brittle ego claim and moved on to Putin’s BFF. How come Putin’s BFF couldn’t convince Congress to not issue new Russia sanctions? How come Putin’s BFF couldn’t convince Trump to not sign that sanction bill from Congress? Seems like Putin’s BFF would have a little more sway with Trump, who is Putin’s BFF alternate, yes? How come Russia is mad at Trump about Syria? How come Russia is mad at Trump over the Iran nuke deal?

I gave you specific, verifiable reasons to back up my argument. You? All you can muster is smarmy, childish claptrapery because Donald Trump has consumed your life like every other goofball NTer.

Mitt is a fine man and a gentleman. I’ve always liked him. Unfortunately, today we are in a two front war with the Left being the domestic enemy. We need close quarters fighters in our elected ranks for the foreseeable future. That is not Mitt.

Romney’s speech represented an unprecedented attack by a major U.S. party’s most recent presidential nominee against the party’s current front-runner for the nomination. There was also little precedent for a major party figure such as Romney urging a course of action that would lead to a contested convention. The speech was considered prime evidence that the Republican Party had fallen into an internal schism.http://fortune.com/2016/03/08/mitt-romney-speech-donald-trump/

Romney may be a brilliant investor, like Tom Steyer, but like Steyer, he’s a raging idiot when it comes to the politic landscape.

I am also convinced that Romney threw the election because he didn’t want to be the man who defeated America’s First Black President. Trump doesn’t need a quitter in his Administration. We’ve seen the damage that one (Sessions)can do.

The memory of Romney folding in the CNN debate with Obama when Romney was in fact right will never leave my mind. He knew he was right, I knew he was right, his supporters knew he was right but because he was challenged by Obama and the biased CNN host he folded. At that moment I knew he did not have the back bone.

Romney would be counter productive to the agenda that voters across the nation support. If he runs he will have a tough run in the primaries. I would rather Romney spend time with his family and live a good long life. Romney is a really good man, one that I admire and respect but Romney is not what is needed in D.C. at this time.

Mr Romney might be a nice guy but he’s got a poor record as a fighter and a strong record as an open borders globalist. That might go over ok in Utah, but not in the rest of middle America. At least Hatch would be gone. Remember his support for Loretta Lynch? I’ll rejoice when he retires.

How odd, then, that Mr. Establishment declared his immigration policy “maniacal” and one that would turn Hispanic Americans away from the GOP, when what he advocated was self-deportation as a result of simply enforcing our laws.

In his 2012 presidential bid, establishment hack Rommey couldn’t out-debate the porcine candy crowley, while obama sat beside her, hiding, like the clueless, malignant bozo he was. Being led around by the nose by the democrat media, Romney winds up losing the softball election of 2012 against obama.

In 2016, Romney comes out of the establishment/GOPe woodwork to make a raging ass of himself trying to sabotage the GOP candidate against hillary clinton, while also attempting to protect the corrupt GOPe/corker/flake/mccains hacks we so despise and work so hard to boot out of office.

Putting Romney in the Senate where he will do more damage to the swamp-cleanup effort underway, instead of electing a warrior to facilitate it, is one of the stupidest ideas imaginable. This idea could have only originated with the democrat party, and of course, immediately followed by the corrupt idiots of the GOPe.

The election was Romney’s to lose. When he lost so badly it was speculated that he threw the election.

No one thought Romney would stop fighting after the second debate. Crowley pretty much emasculated Romney and his campaign that night. 3 months before the election? Way too late for anyone else (even Trump) to mount any sort of campaign.

Contrast that with Trump after the Access Hollywood tape was released. A few days later he calls a press conference and everyone expected him to come out all contrite. Then we see victims of Bill Clinton and realize Trump is not Romney; this guy fights back.

Yeah, we know he’s just a guy. Puts his pants on one leg at a time, can’t even walk on water. And he took it to Hillary like a mad dog and won.

I liked Cruz. I liked Carson. I liked Walker for the two weeks or so he was in. And not one of them could have taken the war to Hillary.

i suggest that rags be banned or at the very least NEVER RESPONDED TO – clearly he has no sense of fair play and only name calls.
perhaps his diapers are full and his caregiver hasn’t got around to changing his nappies.

Trump probably didn’t run because he didn’t think he needed to run. Who honestly thought Romney would cave? He had enough of an advantage to win but lacked the courage. Any other candidate would have fought tooth and nail to be President.

Milquetoast Mittens, who wouldn’t stand up to Obola, for the sake of this country, now wants to move 2/3rds of the way across the country, to run as a carpetbagger for a seat where his *ONLY* qualification to represent his constituents is that he shares a religion with many of them, just so he can “stand up” against Trump.

When you answer the “Great Goad Cheeto” question, please supplement it with a definition of “froth-boy.”

The closest I could get to a definition of “Froth-boy” is actually a compliment to a guy, which indicates redc1c4 is actually quite the ladies’ man:

Froth: Is a name given to a guy who has the ability to make females wet/froth at the gash simply by being in their presence. Despite this ability they have on women, a Froth is still a gentlemen who is courteous towards women.
Girl: “Oh my god! my panties are all wet. you don’t happen to be called Froth?”https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Froth

But, I keeping with spirit of the blog, I will make a prediction: romney will lose, and rags will join the hari krishnas, and dance on street corners while singing songs praising Trump. But first Rags needs his rabies shots.

Both Romney and Hatch have stated that they will not run against one another

Sounds like Romney isn’t all that enthusiastic about the job. That makes it very unlikely that he’ll try to overcome his greatest weakness in office—he’s a weenie. Not a bad man, and certainly not a duplicitous, treacherous weasel like Hatch, but still … a weenie.

The Democrats are as hell-bend on destruction as they were in 1860. A Republican party made up of weenies will be useless. The Utah GOP (or, more properly, the GOPe) would do well to go with someone else. Almost anyone else.

Mittens … the new RINO “Maverick”! NRO will be giddy with delight! ” Look at how he votes his conscience! He’s not a toady for President Trump, no sir! ” ” He works across the isle and is so stately and awesome! ”

Trump won the Presidency, which means that he is the head of the party. If the others don’t want to support him, let them start a new ‘hands across the aisle’ party. just one problem with that – the DemonCraps don’t want to play.

so WHAT will they do ?

we have needed a conservative party that actually wants to conserve – our military strength for SELF protection, our borders, our retirement etc.

….when the Lord handed out self-awareness and civility, it seems Old Rags was last in line.

As a result, poor Rags had had to make-do with tiny portions, and he was deeply unhappy about it.
The Good Lord, feeling sorry for poor Rags,
offered him instead a really big and smart mouth.
Rags broke out in a grin, accepting gladly….